The Diary of Marlene
by Porsche101
Summary: This is a 3 way diary shared with Esperata and Inugomegirl each playing different characters, follow the adventures from different points of view, and read the other diary books by those authors. Crazy things are bound to happen. Rated for slight swearing
1. Explanatory Chapter

This book was made as a diary between Esperata, Inugomegirl and I. We each picked a character from Penguins of Madagascar and made a diary for each of them. The books are linked by the events in happening. Each diary is the same, only told from a different characters point of view.

The idea of THIS book is to capture the diary of Marlene, which is the part I will be playing. Inugomegirl and Esperata will be playing a different main character, none of the lesser characters are used, although they may be mentioned but not used.

The first chapters of the others books will be the same as this, an explanatory to give reason for having this 3 book collection all by different authors, also to explain which character that author will be portraying.

We hope that each of us can mimic the characters we are playing as well as we need too. We hope we enjoy our diary/books. I would also like to explain that no one would get more than one chapter ahead of the other, so that way everyone can follow along with the other stories.

In addition, more chapters that are REAL will be up as soon as the other two stories by Esperata and Inugomegirl post their explanatory chapter, much like this one. I hope everyone enjoys what is to come, and I hope I addressed the situation well; I hope people understand what is going on.

Leave a comment if you have questions or if have a good idea for a diary entry that the other writers will be able to use. I hope you enjoy this 3-way book, read review and enjoy the books from all 3 of the authors.

Inugomegirl and Esperata


	2. Entry 1

As it turns out, they're transferring me all the way across the United States to this zoo in New York called Central Park Zoo. I didn't even know they had a zoo there! What kind of animal wants to live in a zoo in Manhattan?

That concrete monstrosity is no place for an animal.

But out of the ocean breeze, the palm trees and star gazing under the clear night skies, I'm going to miss my friends and family the most. Even though it's going to be hard leaving everything behind… I'll try to keep a positive attitude. Being optimistic can make anything work, which is my motto.

One of my concerns is also the animals there. Aren't New Yorkers supposed to be all tough and hard-shelled? I sure hope they'll accept me the way I am because I will not change for anyone. I am who I am and there's absolutely nothing they can do about that but I most certainly don't want to be an outcast since I don't want to ruin my popularity that I have racked up here.

I suppose I'll just have to wait and see how it is when I get there. Worrying and daydreaming over it isn't going to change anything that's waiting for me. But I am 99.9 percent positive that it's going to be so much different than the aquarium in Northern California.

After an excruciating travel across the country, I have arrived in Central Park Zoo.

As it turns out, my habitat is pretty nice. It has a decent sized pond that I can't wait to dive into and I love the inside as well. The rocky walls will suit well for my finger painting hobby… and plus it's a little boring but with me here… that won't be an issue much longer.

But the downside is that I'm pretty much the only female here! Well, besides Doris in the dolphin exhibit but we don't really talk all that much. I'm just bummed out that I won't have anyone to spend some girl time with. I might just go crazy!

Today I got some visitors from a few habitats over. Apparently they have a penguin exhibit here but it was pretty nice to have someone come by for a visit.

They were all pretty nice… but having my mother's genes, I couldn't help but be a little shy around them. I started warming up to them as soon as the tallest and the shortest of the four started talking to me. I asked them what they're names were but the second shortest said they were 'classified'. Apparently he's the leader of the group since they all complied with his orders.

He seemed to be a little quiet and suspicious around me and it was kind of freaking me out. I kept glancing over at him but his expression and eyes showed nothing that could help me figure him out. He is so mysterious with his deep azure stare that can just bore right through you… and I can't help but feel a desire to see past all that and find out what's really going on inside his head.

The visit went rather quick and I don't know if I'm relieved or disappointed about that. It was either the time got away from me or the mysterious penguin rushed it a little more than necessary. I think it was a little of both but I can't help but be a little excited about their next visit.

Their second visit came a little quicker than I anticipated. I was just lounging around and enjoying a couple of sardines when they just burst in through a man hole under the rug in the center of my home. I found it rather ridiculous that they bothered going through the sewer instead of just using the door… which was something I was not expecting. I guess these penguins are a little different than I originally thought.

I found out their names when Skipper hadn't tagged along. Kowalski is the brains of the team, Rico is the medic and weapons expert and Private is the 'special' penguin. He doesn't quite know his place in the team yet. Apparently Skipper only tags around sometimes. I don't really blame him actually since a person can only take so much of me.

The new zoo isn't as bad as I thought it would be and the neighbors are pretty nice. I'll just have to hang on to that positive attitude and make myself at home.


	3. Entry 2

I finally got my decorating idea over with in my habitat. Now it looks and feels more like home… just how I like it. My finger painting art was a major success and looks fabulous and not to mention how the makeshift pillows work like a charm. I am pretty proud of it, if I do say so myself.

But the thing that's really making my skin crawl is the surprise visits that Skipper keeps giving me, which are slowly starting to increase. The sound of the manhole opening up behind me is starting to excite me. Not to mention I'm starting to get used to it, surprisingly.

Before I turn around to face the visitor, I can't help but jump... and I also smile like an idiot every single time. I guess I like the new company that the penguins are giving to me. It helps me feel more accepted into the zoo.

The next morning after my arrival, I saw the penguins doing something that surprised me. They were exercising some sort of kung fu fighting style. It was very interesting and entertaining to watch how they work together like a well-oiled machine.

The first time I met them I knew they were a team but now I see them as an elite force of some sort. That would kind of explain Skipper's paranoia towards me at first.

The more I get to Skipper's core; he seems to loosen up around me. Like today he actually sat down and smiled a genuine smile at me for the first time. I myself am starting to unwind and become comfortable around him. I actually had the nerve to say a smart comment when he left. It went something like 'Have fun with your team, military man.'

You should have seen the look on his face after those words left my mouth. Now I can't get that confident smirk of his out of my mind.

Today I thought I would mix my routine up a little bit and watch the penguins rehearse their little 'dances'. Skipper seemed a little uncomfortable with it but he eventually got over it and ignored me.

It was simply breathtaking how their bodies can actually move that way since I myself am not the flexible type. I tried to memorize some of the moves that really stood out to me and actually managed to mimic a few without hurting myself. It was quite fun, actually.

One certain thing that really shocked me was that I couldn't take my eyes off of Skipper. I found it quite amazing how he could say the moves and still perform them so flawlessly, showing he was good at handing more than one situation at a time. I saw him glance my way a few times and every time he did, he would always pick up the pace a little bit. I find it quite cute the way he tries to impress me.

There was yet another surprise visit, but this time it wasn't Skipper, instead it was Private and Kowalski. They barged in at the wrong time! I was just minding my own business writing in my diary when they happened to think it was a good time to drop in on me.

They asked what I was writing about, but I just told them it was nothing and shoved it under my pillow perhaps a little too quickly... and my blush didn't really help anything. I don't know what made those smirks appear on their beaks but it annoyed me to my limit. I asked them what their problem was but they just shrugged and said it was nothing.

After an uncomfortable silence, we started up a real conversation. They asked me how the new zoo was and my opinion of it and also complimented on my redecorating which made me really happy. They also got to wondering what I thought of the training session I saw earlier over at their habitat. I said it was very interesting and entertaining, which is exactly what I think. But after those words got out of my mouth, I accidentally let slip that I liked how Skipper performed them. Huge mistake. I made it sound so... so wrong!

And unfortunately they got those idiot smirks again and I could feel my irritation rising. I tried to explain to them that I didn't mean it to sound like _that _but I think I failed. A few minutes past and they finally let me get some shuteye before morning. Ever since my arrival I keep going to sleep later and later. I guess New York really is The City That Never Sleeps.


	4. Entry 3

I'm starting to regret my curiosity of the other animals. I decided I would pay my other neighbors a visit, which happened to be the lemurs.

As soon as I hopped the fence, this little Mouse Lemur just came rushing up to me saying something about feet. The thing that really took me by surprise was that tears were running down his cheeks. Being the kind otter I am, I picked the little cry-baby up and comforted him but apparently, that didn't really make this one Ringtail Lemur happy.

He just started barking at him telling him to 'continue worshiping him'. I was ready to put that mouthy squirrel in his place! How could he treat him like that when he was crying? And who in the world would want to worship him when he hardly had a lick of manners on him? The nerve of some animals.

Then this one short and wide dark grey lemur comes up and tells me that if I worship him, it would make King Julien happy and it would make his job a whole lot easier. I was not about to start kissing up to somebody just so that they would stay happy and so that their advisor would have an easier job.

Do you see why I was starting to regret visiting them?

Thankfully, my 'knight in shining armor' arrived to save me from Julien's huge ego. Apparently, Skipper doesn't really take a liking to King Julien and the other lemurs. He used terms like 'slap you in the middle of next week' and talked about how he probably scared the wits out of me which I just had to disagree with. I am not a sissy when it comes to self-absorbed lemurs.

Skipper's little hissy fit eventually came to an end and we all exited the lemur habitat with me as confused as ever and Skipper boiling.

Kowalski explained to me who King Julien was and the other lemurs. The short and wide lemur is Maurice while the little brown Mouse Lemur is Mort who has an obsession with Julien's feet. They're loyal servants to King Julien and has to deal with his all-nights parties, greediness and the annoyance he causes 24/7.

Julien thinks he's king but he's hardly a king at all. He's just a prissy lemur who thinks everything is about him and his booty.

They don't know what led him to thinking that he's royalty but they made me take their word for it that he's not and to never give in to worshiping him for real. I don't think they really have to worry about me falling into complete stupidity when it comes to royal blood. I don't worship anybody.

Before I knew it, they were going into how they met the three lemurs in the first place. When they were being shipped off to another zoo they took over the ship and sent the humans on a lifeboat to China, which I found very unbelievable. How do four penguins take over an entire ship? There were four other animals named Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria that were going along with them but they fell into the water and ended up on the shores of Madagascar, where they met the lemurs.

They were just about to go into how they steered the boat to Antarctica but Skipper cut them off and said that the rest of the information was classified. I was really starting to get into their story and what happened before I came but he just had to stop his team before they got to the interesting part.

I have so many questions for them now! How did they get back to the zoo and why did they leave Antarctica where they rightfully belong? Did they leave to go back to the zoo directly from Antarctica and leave the other animals in Madagascar? Did they ever even come directly back to the zoo or did they go somewhere else? They didn't even give me a chance to ask any questions.

Those penguins sure are a mystery…


	5. Entry 4

Remember how I said I was curious about the penguins? I'm starting to regret it… either that or I'm happy I heard about it before… something bad happened.

I was going about my normal business of the day… straightening things up and cleaning my fur up when I heard my manhole explode open behind me. I whirled around with my heart racing, somehow hoping that it was Skipper. I can't explain the feelings that overcome me when I see him… they're sort of a mix of disappointment but extreme happiness at the same time.

What surprised me was that Kowalski was my surprise visitor. I was sort of appalled at how displeasure hit me in the chest like a ton of bricks. I tried to keep it off of my expression but judging by how Kowalski's own face looked, I didn't succeed.

We continued on in a normal conversation and for some reason… I wanted to stay on the subject of Skipper. What were the missions you guys went on? How long have you been in the zoo? Where have you traveled? Did anyone else live at the HQ besides you four?

Kowalski answered all of my questions pretty clearly… but he seemed to be leaking more information than Skipper would have wanted. I just couldn't help but take a glance out of the habitat to the penguins'. I was telling myself that I was just checking to make sure Skipper wasn't coming… but somehow I think there's more to it. I know I'm lying to myself by now.

Suddenly, Kowalski mentions something that I did not expect to hear… nor did I want to hear it. He said something about Skipper's… wife. I just couldn't help but ask the simple question: "He's married?"

I felt that familiar jab of pain in my chest… a feeling of reject and disappointment. The same exact feeling that I had when I was a young teenager… when I saw other boys looking at girls… when I liked them….

What surprised me was that he replied back, after an uncomfortably long time period, that they were divorced. Why on Earth would they be divorced? Who would divorce a penguin like Skipper and what had happened between them that caused something so horrific? I couldn't help but feel a little guilty and sad for Skipper… but I also felt a sense of relief… which made me feel even guiltier.

_Does he still love her? _Some how those words made it out of my mouth and out into the open where Kowalski could hear and interpret them clearly. I was praying to God that I really didn't say that but my hopes crumbled when he replied that Skipper often kept his feelings to himself and that he had no idea if he still thought about her or not.

When Kowalski gathered his papers and things I couldn't help but radiate confusion and shock throughout the room. I think Kowalski actually felt it because he said that he thought he should leave along with that same guilty look on his face. I could easily tell that he had a hard time keeping his expressions to himself since they were displayed on his face for all eyes to see.

Still, it was kind of nice to hear something new about Skipper… it sort of eased my anxiousness of his and their past and it made me realize something a tad bit different. It pointed out to me that I was unfathomably and irrevocably in love with him… and if there's something that I've learned over the years, is that love can be dangerous.


	6. Entry 5

_Author's Note:_

_The episode Haunted Habitat from Marlene's PoV. Sorry if it's too long for a diary entry or doesn't seem like it's her point of view and that it's just a story... I was **really **off when I wrote this... :(_

* * *

Right when I thought I would have another peaceful night in Central Park Zoo, something happens that should belong in a horror movie and stay in a horror movie.

I was sleeping soundly like I should be in the depths of my habitat when I heard the creepiest and the most blood curdling noise I could have ever imagined. And, of course, my scream just had to pierce the air of the zoo, which I knew would cause a riot with the penguins.

What really freaked me out was that I didn't know where the sound was coming from. It could have come from the outside, within the walls or maybe it was just my imagination… no, this was something that _I_ couldn't even imagine. It was way too real to be a nightmare.

Like what I expected, the four 'protectors of the zoo' burst in through my door. What surprised me was that they actually went through the front of the exhibit instead of the sewer underneath it, but they still have yet to learn how to knock.

I still couldn't help but be annoyed by the four just barging in. Did they think I was completely helpless? And to make matters worse, Skipper actually goes and asks Kowalski for options about me. Shouldn't he know me already? And _duh! _Of course my name is Marlene! They've known me since they got back to the zoo from who knows where!

Like what I expected, they start discussing about my scream and what caused it. Why don't they just ask me instead of making up all of the possibilities that made me scream? Skipper finally asked Private, who seems like the only penguin that's the most attached to reality, what he thought of my scream. But my hopes were crushed when he suggested that I had a 'fright'.

Once again, that sound was way too real to be a nightmare. I haven't had a nightmare in years! And I don't think my imagination could make a ghostly moan sound so real.

I already didn't want the penguins to be there and Skipper just had to go and make it worse by calling me a 'helpless victim'. I am not a helpless victim! I would have pounced on him if Julien didn't go and interrupt me by asking what all of the commotion was about. At least he knows how to make a reasonable entrance instead of scaring the fur off of me…

I already knew that Skipper didn't like Julien, and how he glared at that spoiled lemur, he already didn't want him to get involved. It was really stupid how he tried to cover it up when he said that I saw my own shadow, which would have been funny if I wasn't so pissed off about all of them being in my habitat. After all, do I look like a groundhog?

After seeing that I had to be straight-to-the-point with these guys, I decided to narrow it down by saying that a weird noise woke me up and that I'm not a hysterical helpless victim (which was mostly directed at Skipper) and that they didn't need to turn it into one of their commando operations.

I should have just left that last part out, because then Skipper goes and assigns his team their little jobs to investigate the habitat. I should have known that those guys were going to make a big deal out of it and make the incident into an overnight.

Being the royal pain King Julien is he decides to take a more religious route to get rid of the 'spooky spirit' thanks to the penguins bringing up that the noise might be the previous owner of my habitat. Much to his embarrassment, he and Maurice start singing a stupid little song that goes like: _Go away, go away. I said no stay, I said no stay. _

You have to admit, it was pretty funny with his little dance and Maurice using one of my pottery bowls as a drum was a nice touch. I was so preoccupied watching King Julien bounce around like a rubber ball that I didn't notice the penguins leave the habitat. I thought about calling them back because I definitely didn't want to be stuck with the lemurs and Mort's foot fetish but then again, it was better than Skipper's paranoia.

A while after the lemurs left (basically because King Julien didn't want to sleep on the floor) I couldn't help but drift into a deep sleep. I was beginning to hope that I wouldn't hear the noise and scream again. I just wanted the night to be gone and over with.

Unfortunately, the sound of the moan echoed around the walls of the room and I bolted upright, my heart racing and my breath coming in and out of me in gasps. I let out another scream and I wished I would have fought against it. I counted the seconds before the penguins finally returned to my habitat, which was approximately twenty seconds.

I thought it was pretty sweet that Skipper would actually care so much to stay up past midnight to solve a mystery for me. But I disappointed myself when I realized that he wasn't doing this for me, it was for the safety of the zoo and plus when you get Skipper going, you can't stop him.

I tried to bring up the fact that they never knock and that they should start doing that, but Kowalski pointed out that they need to get places quickly and that they don't have time for such pleasantries. Apparently the team prides themselves on a rapid response. I just find it aggravating and annoying and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I don't know why they just don't get it through their thick skulls that I don't need them on guard duty. I can handle the situation by myself with or without Skipper! I was always seen as an innocent little otter but I'm more than that. I just wish that they would give me a real chance to prove myself but Skipper would never do that. He's too thickheaded and full to the brim of his ego to really hear me out. I hate people like that!

Right when I was on the verge of screaming my head off, Julien and the two other lemurs decide that they should be in the midst of it all as well. Why are they even coming back? They've just been deadweight the entire time which I found out that Skipper heartily agrees with.

I thought Skipper was going to do something rash, and when he made Rico regurgitate a dynamite stick I was about to jump in the middle of the group. Thankfully he made Rico snuff out the flame and use a flashlight as a beam to direct them out. I wish I could direct them all out and just go back to sleep.

Instead of going back and forth between the habitats, Kowalski suggested that they should just camp out in my habitat. I had to admit I wasn't very comfortable having them sleeping over… especially Skipper. What if I say something embarrassing in my sleep?

As soon as I drifted off, I had this weird dream about screaming… I remember something about Skipper fighting some sort of monster… but I don't recall exactly how screaming went with it.

I woke up with Skipper leaning over me and saying 'at ease, Marlene' which made his cool breath dance across my face. I couldn't say it was a rude awakening… or a pleasant one for that matter since it made me blush like crazy, not to mention my heart starting jumping against my ribcage.

Kowalski, being the smart penguin that he is, decided to get all technical and use his complicated vocabulary list. Why doesn't he just make things simple? Rico was pretty glad to flop down on the floor and start snoring to make it clearer for me. Since when do I snore?

Skipper, for some reason, recorded it on his recorder and let us all listen to it for proof… the little jackass.

For my own little piece of proof about my snoring not being the scary sound, the ghostly moan echoed around the habitat and this time it seemed louder. I had to restrain myself from screaming and jumping onto Skipper for protection. That really helps my case about not being a helpless victim…

This time I actually got to see the penguins in action. After Kowalski uncovered the rug from the manhole, we all realized it was coming from the sewer. Rico was more than happy to regurgitate a stick of dynamite for Skipper so that they could blow the lid off. I thought that was a little extreme but apparently they were just going about their normal business.

The minute Skipper and I were leaning over the edge and peering into the darkness, something happened that was both painful and very ironic. The lid struck us both on the back and we fell into the depths of the hole. I was terrified about hitting the concrete but I was shocked to feel and hear a splash of water. _Sewer _water. Talk about gross!

I was about to swim up to the surface but realized that there wasn't any one there with me. I dove back in and found Skipper floating with his eyes closed. I wrapped my arm around him and dragged him to the surface. Terror filled me about losing him but I kept it under control and performed a diaphragm compress on him, all the while regretting the things I thought about him… how he was annoying and too caught up in military to really see the world.

Instead of thanking me for saving him like any decent person would have done, he just completely ignored me and went back to his recorder saying that he had _mysteriously _escaped the watery doom. That just threw me over the top. How could he be so egotistical that he couldn't even bring himself to admit that I, a _helpless victim, _had saved him? He really needs to get his head screwed on straight.

He looks at things through different eyes than me and everyone else. He said that the sewer was the mysterious realm of the specter. What the heck was that all about? I just think that he wants to sound all macho on his little Skipper's Log recorder for whoever will listen to it.

What really got me nervous was that we were completely alone in the sewer. I tried to look at the positives of this… first off; maybe we could both get our heads screwed on straight. Maybe he would have a change of heart and see the other side of me and I could… well, I could get out of this little crush thing for Skipper. I've fallen for a jerk! Tisk, tisk…

The negatives… well, let's not get into my options for that.

Then Skipper decided to go and point out the obvious by saying it was just him and me. Like I need that! I decided to use a little bit of my sarcasm and mimic him by saying that we should do some recon and that I would take point. Apparently he didn't get it because he goes and blurts out that he usually takes point. He is so psychotic.

We both walked a little ways and I could feel my paranoia starting to kick in. I could hear Skipper's footsteps behind me and was starting to fear of losing him. What if I did and I got lost and the monster would get me? But it wasn't only that… I was mostly afraid of losing him, period. I don't know if I could live with myself if anything happened to him… it would be all my fault if he got hurt while he was with me down in the sewer. Sure he's annoying sometimes… but I don't want anything bad to happen. I would hate myself for the rest of my life!

After fooling around with the flashlight, I saw something that I was dreading the whole night. I stared into the blue eyes of the lumbering monster behind Skipper, making me turn the penguin around so he could see it for himself. I backed away along with Skipper, keeping my hands raised up incase the figure decided to lunge at us.

I could see my life flashing before my eyes and I could feel the terror beginning to bottle up inside of me. As I expected, Skipper stayed absolutely calm until he decided to scream 'Sewer monster! Retreat!' I did not expect that.

In order to avoid being eaten by the gleaming sharp teeth of the monster, I grabbed a pole above us on the ceiling and hoisted Skipper up by my legs and swung us up onto the ceiling. It was excruciatingly painful in my arms and back, but I had to do it to save our lives.

I was hoping that the monster decided to leave but I knew that it would come back. It dove into the water and made a quick circle before climbing back out. I couldn't help but notice that the form looked very familiar but I was too terrified to rack my brain for an animal or mammal that would fit it. It was also kind of strange that every time the recorder played my snoring, it would back away.

It let out another growl and the next thing I knew, I felt Skipper's flippers wrapped around me. I would have blushed but I was too busy looking into the eyes of the approaching beast.

I felt Skipper push me away and immediately knew what he was intending to do. I looked at the monster and back to Skipper and saw that he would be dead meat if he tried to battle it. I tried to call Skipper back but I couldn't find my voice. Instead, I pressed the button on the recorder and the sound of the snoring filled the sewer.

I realized that I was right when I thought it was afraid of my snoring. I grabbed the recorder without thinking and raced ahead of Skipper, knowing I was risking my life with a fifty-fifty chance but I couldn't let Skipper get killed. I raised it up high and felt triumphant for once in my life. I knew that Skipper was about to grab me and pull me out of the way but when I didn't feel anything, I knew he knew what I was doing.

Suddenly a light shone ahead of me from the flashlight that Skipper had retrieved. My eyes widened as I saw the huge alligator a foot in front of me.

As it turns out the alligator was a friendly one and was named Roger, which really took me by surprise. After a few embarrassing moments of the guys discussing my snoring and Skipper stroking my cheek, the other three penguins finally decided to show up and strap down Roger which was very amazing how they did it so fast. Perhaps Skipper really was a good instructor.

Finally I heared the words that I never expected to hear: Marlene and I have the situation under control. Was that a change of heart, perhaps? I sure hope so…

Skipper filled the guys in on the way to my habitat. I was disappointed that he didn't say anything about me saving him or being brave enough to take stand in front of Roger when I didn't know he was a friendly. I guess some people never change.

Kowalski walked up to the two of us while Roger was talking and started discussing about how it was lucky that Skipper had saved me. I was about to turn away and let Skipper bask in his glory but a guilty look that crossed his face stopped me. Suddenly, the truth came out about how I had saved him from the water… sort of. He said it kind of weird but it was good enough. I felt like hugging him but I clasped my paws together and said how sweet it was of him to admit it.

I think I can put up with Skipper for a few more years…

_

* * *

__Author's Note:_

_Not my best. Once again, I was off. _


	7. Entry 6

Just when I thought the penguins couldn't get any more psychotic, I saw what they used for their daily exercises. Apparently they thought that taking a few bowling pins and painting little faces on them counted as ninjas. I had to admit it was a little creative of them… but it was strange at the same time.

Sometimes I just wish I would leave those birds alone and just stay at home. Every time I go over there, something always happens. I think Skipper found it rather amusing how I tripped over one of their little ninja bowling pins. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face, but then again, I love seeing it.

What struck me as odd was that they were working… on Funday! Doesn't Skipper know the definition of fun? … Probably not. He already overworks the team, in my eyes. I think that Kowalski, Private and Rico deserve some fun time, like going to an amusement park or something.

As what I expected, Skipper had no idea what Funday was or that Monday was renamed Funday. Kowalski actually had to explain it for him. He almost called a whole mission just to find out what Funday was! For a military penguin, he isn't very observant… at all. I guess that's why he has Kowalski in the first place.

I just had to point out how non-fun Skipper is by comparing him to Julien… bad mistake. How on Earth was I supposed to know he would try to show off?

In order to prove his point about him being as fun as the next guy (Julien) he joined him on the Bouncy. I could already sense that things weren't going to end well. I think I jinxed it, because right then, Skipper had to execute a move called 'the corkscrew'. He dove headfirst into the inflatable Bounce House and pierced the rubber with his beak.

At first I thought it was very amusing to watch Skipper try to pull himself out of the Bouncy, but when nobody laughed I realized what was going to happen when he did. I heard the whooshing sound of air rushing out of the Bounce House. The next thing I knew, I saw Julien's crown flying through the air and over the zoo walls.

Over my time at the zoo, I learned that Julien's most prized possession was his crown. Skipper, Julien and I all leaned over the edge to see the leafy crown perched precariously next to a manhole. We all sighed in relief and I was about to turn away to tell the others that the crown was fine when I heard Julien screaming next to me. I realized that the crown was gone, into the depths of the sewer… now that's gross. Who would want that crown on their head after it took a trip into the sewer?

I soon realized that I had seen nothing of Julien's tantrums. That guy has iron lungs when it comes to screaming! We actually had to use earmuffs to block out his screaming, even from inside the HQ.

Skipper and I were playing a nice steady game of chess when Maurice came barging in to tell Skipper off. As soon as I removed my earmuffs to hear the argument, I could still hear faint screaming from outside the HQ walls. I guess Julien really loves that crown.

I really can't help but feel bad for Maurice. He has to put up with that bratty _King _twenty-four seven. Sometimes I wonder if Julien really is a king or if his ego is just too big. I would love to know Julien's family tree.

When I saw how upset he was, I just couldn't help but try to cheer him up. Also I think it was kind of lame how he was blaming Skipper for everything that happens.

"Maurice! It was all in fun! Come on, bring it in, bring it in!"

Judging by his expression and how he slammed the door my little attempt didn't help much.

What surprised me was that I actually reacted and jumped into the penguins' meeting about Julien. Usually they don't even let me hear anything. They always use the 'it's classified' excuse, which annoys me to no limit.

Back to trying to show Skipper I'm not a helpless bystander, I jumped into action by formulating a plan before Skipper could even think about asking Kowalski for options.

To my relief, Skipper actually accepted my plan and went through with it.

I tried my best to comfort Julien (if you call stuffing a leaf into his mouth comforting) while the penguins went to retrieve Julien's crown. If I knew how stubborn King Julien was, I wouldn't have assigned myself to him. I knew darn well he was annoying, but I had no idea he could be so stubborn!

I threw every hat at him that I could find in the zoo. But it was either 'It's not good enough to show my kingly stature', 'It nearly carried me away to the sky spirits!', 'I crushed it by drinking all the soda out of it' and even 'It's a snake! **Get it off me!**'.

I personally thought the snake was a good look for him… and he did too until it hissed at him. I had a huge pile of hats that I was about to try, but I knew it wasn't worth it. I have never seen him so depressed. I didn't think he could even slip into such a depression! He was actually reciting poetry that you would hear in a dark room where the people snap instead of applaud. He's usually so lively, even though it is annoying… _really _annoying.

I hated admitting that I failed, but even worse, I knew that I let Skipper down. To bring my mood down even farther, I was safe up in the zoo while Skipper was down in the stinky sewer battling a mutant sewer rat (at least that's what Kowalski told me over the walkie talkie).

"If I could say the magic words and make your crown appear, I would," I yelled at him, about ready to slap him with the cowboy hat I was holding.

As if I were magic after all, Skipper came up behind me and held up the crown, saying that the magic word was Funday (whatever that means). What shocked me was that he was all beat up and being supported by Kowalski and Rico. What on Earth happened down there?!

I was about to ask about it, when I heard Julien say to bring him his spare crown. When I turned around, a crown was on his head, but the one that the penguins went after was lying by his feet, clearly unwanted even after all that trouble.

I felt like I was about to explode! For one, I went through all that trouble for _**nothing! **_And two, Skipper was hurt because of that selfish moron! After I made Rico throw up a crowbar, I went after him like a chimp chasing bananas… a very angry chimp.

Julien needs to be taught a lesson… I just might ask the penguins to team up with me so we can gang up on him one day…


	8. Entry 7

_Author's Note: _

_Okay… for those of you who think I am dead… I am very much **alive!** I am aware that I haven't updated in FOREVER and I feel so guilty about that. School really took its toll on me, and I apologize for keeping you all waiting. From now on I will try to keep up with my stories and I promise that updates will be more frequent from now on. I love you all!_

* * *

I'm not exactly sure what encouraged Skipper to let me go on a mission with them, but it was probably the most fun I've had since I've been in New York. I couldn't exactly help myself when Skipper, Kowalski and Private invited me. The look on Skipper's face was comical! You could really see my excitement just by looking at his expression.

What really bums me out, though, it that Skipper is incredibly hard to read sometimes. I couldn't really tell if he was glad to have me on the team or not. But then again, if he didn't want me to go on the mission, why would he have turned to me in the first place?

I was just thrilled overall whether Skipper liked it or not. I didn't really pay attention to his thoughts about it until it was time to go on the mission. Seeing the penguins in action… it really gave me a good idea of what they do in their free time. I knew that they were all about military and stuff, but who knew they were so flexible?

It sounded pretty simple when they went over the plans. I was really nervous when Skipper mentioned going outside of the zoo. Last time I went outside of the zoo walls, it didn't exactly go so well… but that's a different story. After he said that he and I were going to help out the animals safe inside the zoo, my nervousness evaporated, but my excitement stayed linked to me like a second shadow.

As Skipper showed me the list of animals we were going to help out that day, we were both surprised to see that Joey was the first on the list. Skipper muttered something about batteries and Julien, but I didn't exactly catch the rest.

As it turned out, his gate was jammed up in the wheels that made the belt turn. Neither Skipper nor Joey had the correct tools, but I happened to have some stored in my habitat. After a little tweaking, the gate was good as new again.

I knew that Joey was one of the most violent animals in the zoo, and when he literally kicked Skipper out of the habitat, I was scared he would do the same to me. But when he led me to the door that we just fixed, I was pretty relieved. I guess even a tough guy like Joey had rules about not hitting women.

One thing that I learned today is that elephants are wimps… and they can be _extremely _dangerous to be around. I really don't know how the humans do it. How can such a huge animal be afraid of a little mouse? While Skipper was chasing the mouse around the habitat, Burt went psycho and started to trample right toward me. For a moment I was frozen in fear, with my entire body on lockdown.

Thankfully, Skipper saw just in time. He yanked me out of the way before I could become an otter pancake. And here's the embarrassing part… instead of landing beside me, he ending up on top of me. Even though I was immensely grateful he saved me, I still couldn't help but be frightened by Burt. What if he got freaked out again and trampled us both? But that thought could hardly compare to how I felt when I looked into Skipper's ice-blue eyes. It almost took my attention away from the blush that overtook his face.

By the time he helped me get back to my feet, I was so overjoyed to be alive. I leapt at him without thinking and embraced him… rather tightly. I don't know what he thought about my hug, but I knew how I felt about it.

After I finally let him go, he stuffed a rock into the mouse's hole so that he couldn't bother Burt anymore. I was so thankful when we finally got out of that deathtrap.

While I tried to mutter an apology to Skipper, Julien interrupted us. He always manages to get in the way somehow. Apparently, he actually needed help. While the lemurs were bouncing on their Bouncy, the air cap came off. While we were completely stunned on how to fix it, I remembered I had an air pump in my habitat that could take care of the job. As it turned out I was a really big help to the mission. I think Skipper was a little suspicious of why I had all of those tools in the first place, though.

While I watched Skipper mark off the last of the animals, it became harder and harder to keep a smile on my face. I really wanted to spend more time with Skipper to get to know him more, but he said that he had some business to take care of at the HQ. Not to mention Kowalski and Private were back. I think my salute to him and the fact that I ran covered up my disappointment.

I was thrilled that he entrusted me enough to let me come on the mission, and I really hope we can spend more time together soon, but next time I hope it'll be just because he wants to be with me.


End file.
